Tesco has hired Hollie Pipps as head of operations model – automation and online order fulfilment. She returns to the supermarket after leaving in 2015, having worked for the company for over nine years.

At Tesco, her most recent role was future stores project manager where she was tasked with managing cross functional strategic projects, typically sponsored by senior business leaders as part of the operating model team.

She joins from Ocado Technology, where she has worked for over six years, most recently as lead project manager.

Pipps initially joined Ocado in 2016 as a project manager where she was responsible for implementing a fully automated customer fulfilment centre (CFC) on a £65 million budget while strengthening the company's international relationships.

She also previously worked for Argos for more than three years. Pipps joined the company in 2015 as operations development manager, leading a team tasked with implementing a continuous improvement programme for store operations.

In 2017, she was promoted to operational strategy and development manager.

In a post on Linkedin, Pipps said: “I’ve returned to the company where I first began my career, and it feels like coming home – but at the same time stepping into the perfect role for me!”

In July, Tesco announced what it described as a “major investment” in a new distribution centre at DP World London Gateway which is set to open in 2029.

The UK’s largest supermarket said that the multi-million-pound distribution centre will be a modern, energy-efficient site, equipped with the latest technology to support its growing store network.

The new facility is expected to achieve BREEAM Outstanding certification, which Tesco says demonstrates its commitment to sustainable building practices.

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